I was being fetched by my colleague to Kota Damansara from Ara Damansara for an appointment. As we were just about to reach the Seri Selangor Golf club, we saw an Indian man carrying a child and a woman holding a baby in her arms, frantically waving us down. There was a motorbike parked by the roadside.
I was afraid that there was an accident and they needed some emergency help. We both decided to stop some distance away as we have already driven past them at this stage. I ran back to them and asked them what was wrong.
Both the man and woman looked worried, the baby in her arms were almost lifeless and the small boy in the man's arms looked weak and was hanging on to his daddy. Being a daddy myself, my immediate reaction was, what could be wrong with these children. The boy was barely 3 or 4 years old (like Ryan) and the baby girl in her woman's arms was barely a year old (like Chenya), I guessed.
The man told me that the boy has an asthma attack and they needed to get to the clinic as soon as possible but they have NO MONEY!
Now, normally, when I hear this, I would have back tracked immediately but here before my eyes were a couple who seemed to have one very weak boy and the other hardly moved. I asked them how much they needed and they said RM300. I only had RM30 in my wallet that day. If I had RM300 in my wallet, I probably would have given him the RM300 he needed for his sick child. I opened my wallet and took out my only RM30 and gave it to him and told him that that was all I had. I told him to try to get others to assist as well. He was disappointed but thank me nevertheless. I left and went on for my appointment.
In the car, we talked about it and I told my colleague that all my gut feel tells me that he is out to con me but I could not help myself from giving him that RM30 because I was afraid that if it was true and if something happened to the child, I would have not done anything even when I was approached. In my heart, I was just hoping that there is still some truth in this world and that I have genuinely helped, although it was only Rm30 but I have done what I could at that point in time.
I have not given it much thought until last Saturday when I was driving for my appointment at Oasis Ara Damansara. Just as I was about to turn into Oasis, there was this same couple with their child again, only this time, the woman was carrying the baby, who again was sleeping in her arms. They were again running into the middle of the road, frantically trying to flag me down. I drove past, looked at them and pointed my finger at them and went on for my appointment as I was running late.
I felt cheated. Above all, I was disappointed that my hope that this couple was genuine was dashed and crushed. I was kicking myself that against my better judgement, I went ahead to give him the RM30. It was not the amount that bothers me but it was the betrayal that left a very bad taste in my mouth.
When I came out from my appointment, I intentionally drove past the same place and when I could not find them there, I purposely drove around the surrounding roads looking for them, with the intention of telling them off, but they were no where to be found.
Would you have help or wouldn't you?
And if you do come across an Indian man and woman with one or two children on a motorbike looking for help by the roadside, do be cautious.
7 comments:
oh no...do they have to resort to this to get money?? why is he not working? or the mother? i m sure there is some other way than putting the kids to danger.. making them look lifeless and weak.. sigh..
so terrible!!!!! I don't think i will help though, cos how do they know they need exactly RM300 when they're not even at the hospital yet? You can get treatment for much lesser than that at the govt hospital. And if they rreally in need of money at the treatment, shouldn't they be begging at the hospital, and not at some roadside at night?
I pity their children though :( being used by their parents in such a way. Wonder what they'll learn when they grow up
I read a few emails n they said its a con-job. If I met with such situation, i will bring them to a clinic? but i don dare to let them sit in my car..in case they hijack!! Maybe out of compassionate heart..rm10 is the most i will give.
I will either take them to the hospital, or call for help to send an ambulance. Govt hospital provided free medication. No, not going to give any $$ nowadays.. even I see a beggar, I will usually buy a pack of rice instead of giving them the $$..
Well for the RM30 you can see the truth. Just that the $$ as the donation for those 2 kids. I feel so pity they have a parent like that.
U know what,I've seen this couple too!! (prob the same from your description). I stopped my car after I passed them, then decided to drive off since I was alone. Felt a bit guilty too........until I saw them again 2 weeks later!
Scums!
Btw, the place I saw them was quite far from the D'sara area. Their area coverage is so big!
Even before I read to the part where you discovered them as con guys, I would not have stopped, more because of my own safety as a lady. If they really needed help, I would have dialed the police to come find them... Hehehe.
Oh well, thank God you only had rm30 that day, and that something worse like being ambush by a group of hidden parang wielding Indians did not happen to you.
These days, so sad we have to think 10 times and resist being kind hearted.
Take care in Beijing.
Post a Comment